What Happens In New York
by ollixanna
Summary: A summertime drabble that go away from me. Starts at the end of S3 with Britta disappearing. Britta/Other. Also posted at the J/B community on LJ. Image/cover from inthe-sunshine on LJ as well.
1. Chapter 1

******Disclaimer: I do not own Community or any of it's characters, stories, etc. This is also unbeta'd, so all mistakes are my own.**

**MAY**:

Britta has been gone three weeks.

Well, it has been three weeks since they figured out she wasn't in Greendale.

The discovery of her absence starts with Troy.

He was supposed to have dinner with her on a Wednesday night but she doesn't show up.

He calls her phone and it goes straight to voicemail.

He heads home and tells Annie and Abed about Britta standing him up.

Annie calls Britta and there is still no answer.

She gets the boys to go with her to make sure Britta is okay.

They call Jeff because they realize they had no idea where she lives.

He shows up, with her extra key, and led the way to her (crappy) apartment.

The evidence starts from the door, late rent, water, and electric shut off notices all cling to her door.

Jeff leaves the notices where they are, opens the door while the younger folks hide behind him as he stepped indoors, half expecting her cat to attack him, and half excepting to find Britta passed out, or worst yet, dead.

He flips the light switch and miraculously there is still light despite the warnings.

But there is no cat hanging around their ankles and Britta is nowhere to be seen.

Jeff checks the bathroom and her room.

Her eco-friendly, organic (ridiculously expensive) hair and body products are missing.

As are about half of her entire wardrobe.

And the ratty, giant backpack she insisted on keeping for what she had claimed time and time again to be purely nostalgic reasons.

Jeff decides that Britta left voluntarily.

Annie crosses her arms and juts out a hip, she isn't satisfied with that answer.

Abed offers some advice about adult kidnappings based on the movie he saw last week.

Troy gets wide eyed and worried when Abed finishes.

Jeff calms them all down and reminds them that if Britta really was in trouble she would have found a way to contact someone. He adds that she probably just got an invite to go on some ridiculous peace mission and she would be back and preaching about her new revelations before everyone knew it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Community.**

**AN: Sincerest apologies to anyone who was following this for not updating sooner.**

* * *

JUNE:

Annie calls Britta's phone and leaves her messages until the number is disconnected for nonpayment.

Troy and Abed check her facebook page, her twitter account, and even her favorite message board where she posted with like minded feminist activists; she hasn't signed in once since the beginning of the previous month.

Jeff drops by the apartment manager's office to pay Britta's rent until August.

He figures she would be pissed if she came back and all her stuff was gone; as much as he made fun of her, she worked hard to get her stuff so he was going to help her keep it.

The manager shows him copy of the money order he had received. Her rent is more than covered for the rest of the year, and the manager said he had paid the electricity water when they came by to shut it off.

Jeff asks if there was anything else attached to the check, a letter, a notice of where she had gone.

The manager shook his head and said there was no return address, and the money order was nondescript as well.

Jeff got a copy of the money order and left to meet with the others, well, with Annie, Troy, and Abed.

Pierce was at another one of his conventions for the entire summer, as usual.

Shirley and her family had headed East to visit family and introduce Ben to this grandparents in person.

Jeff brings them dinner from the only Britta approved Thai place and they discuss what they had learned.

Jeff can't help but feel old as he looks at his companions, and he has another startling insight into how Pierce, and occasionally Shirley, feel when their age comes up.

Annie wants to contact the police.

Nobody contradicts her, but they all wonder if that is not just a little too extreme.

Britta clearly is not in trouble if she had enough sense to send a check to cover her expenses.

Abed suggests they hack her bank account and see if there was any suspicious activity, or maybe her debit card would let them know where she was.

Jeff reminds them that it was Britta's choice to disappear (apparently), and they shouldn't worry.

The others reluctantly agree and start a discussion about the movie they should watch.

Annie pouts, but she is still the one who suggests a Batman movie marathon because the last Nolan Batman movie is coming out soon.

* * *

**AN: Sorry it's taken me so long to post. I promise to post every day from here on out.**


	3. Chapter 3

JULY:

Shirley surprises them all when she gets back.

She tells them that Britta left her a message before she left, but she hadn't shared it as she thought they had all gotten a message.

She plays it for them.

Hey Shirley, calling to let you know I'm going to be off the grid for a while. I'll let you know what's going on later. Deena is taking my cat, so no need to feed him. Alright, I'll call you when I get back.

Jeff shares a look with Shirley.

There is something off with Britta's voice; an uneven tone and the way her it speeds up and slows down at a random pace.

Annie smiles and is glad that they finally know for sure that Britta plans to return.

Troy and Abed actually get their childlike attitudes back as their dark clouds of their adult worry fade away.

Jeff is more worried now though.

Britta might be Britta, but she is still Britta.

And that doesn't make any sense unless you've known her long enough to see all of her sides and know that she's not perfect but she's brave and she can be fearless but she also tends to hide her true feelings when she really needs someone to talk to.

Shirley pulls him aside and questions him (grills him, fillets him, whatever).

Jeff repeats that he does not know, and that Britta has not contacted him at all.

Shirley releases her death grip on his arm and drops the tough guy act, mutters something that Jeff can't quite make out.

Jeff pulls at his sleeve like the wrinkles can be undone but the damage is irreversible at this point.

Annie pops in and her face scrunches up when she realizes there is some tension going on between them.

Troy and Abed soon join them and the situation is simply ridiculous.

They are all looking at each other with shifty eyes and each calculating their next move.

Jeff rolls his eyes, leaves the others, and heads for the door.

Shirley leaves too, needs to get back to her kids.

Annie, Abed, and Troy shrug and go back to re-watching Firefly.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: FF wouldn't let me post anything last night. You'll get a couple chapters today.**

AUGUST:

School starts in a week and Pierce returns, but no one has heard from Britta.

Jeff hunts down Deena and asks how the stupid cat is.

She surprises him by saying that someone had come by to pick him up last week.

Jeff gives her a skeptical look and she shrugs tell him that he had a note from Britta.

Jeff tries not to appear too eager as he asks if she still has the note and if she remembers what the guy looked like, and if Deena knows anything else about the situation.

She gives him an appraising look and Jeff realizes he looks and sounds excessively desperate and if someone approached him the way he approached Deena he would have ignored them or called the cops by now.

He apologizes and leaves the restaurant.

He thought the beginning of school would bring Britta back, and clearly he was wrong.

On the first day of class, he sits down in the study room, no one else has arrived.

His curiosity gets the better of him and he does an Internet search for Britta Perry, the news section, just in case she was you know in an accident, or her ID was found near a dead body, you could never be too sure.

He finds something, but it's definitely not what he was expecting.

Pierce shows up and Jeff has to share the news, even if Pierce may not care.

B. Perry, dead at 79; is the headline and the story that follows shares the details of a man who is apparently Britta's father.

Pierce talks about how he was a great businessman and met his end too soon.

Jeff lets the fact that Pierce knew Britta's father settle in then restrains himself as he asks if he knew Britta had gone to be with her family and not told the others.

Pierce shrugs, everyone knew the man, he was a legend, but he didn't know it was Brittles' father.

Jeff goes back to the story and realizes it was posted nearly two weeks ago.

He looks up and almost jumps out of his seat.

Britta is sitting in her chair, her book sitting in all their pristine glory before her, like she didn't go missing for the entire summer.

Shirley and Annie arrive together, talking about the numbers for Shirley's new venture.

They both stop when they see Britta, but don't say anything other than hello.

No one mentions her summer long absence but the underlying curiosity doesn't go unnoticed.


	5. Chapter 5

SEPTEMBER:

Britta doesn't say much.

She comes to their group study sessions, tries to Britta things, but her hearts not in it.

She disappears for another week and comes back with a large diamond engagement ring.

Annie and Shirley squeal and Britta lets them admire it, mumbles thanks when appropriate.

She shows them the engagement photo from the newspaper announcement, because apparently her family is from a place where things like that are still important.

Jeff corners her after the study session, quips about her not immediately changing her Facebook relationship status and asks her she's sure the diamond isn't a blood diamond.

She gives him the most pathetic attempt at a smile he's ever seen and lets him know that she deactivated her page weeks ago and that the diamond is a family heirloom so it's technically recycled.

He drops his guard in hopes that she'll drop hers too, asks what happened over the summer.

She drops the sad smile and tells him that she can't talk about it and leaves the study room.

He doesn't see her until the next week, despite the fact that Troy and Abed had a party over the weekend, and last year they were always there to show the kids how it was done.

She's talking to her advisor when he stumbles upon her, he scrambles back around the corner like some kind of cartoon character and eavesdrops shamelessly.

Her advisor tells her that she thinks Britta has a good chance, and not to count herself out already.

Jeff turns away and heads for his locker, yes he uses it now that he knows about it.

He's surprised to see her face when he shuts his locker.

Surprised enough to let out a yelp of surprise and a Jesus Britta.

She gives him a sincere look of disgust and asks him what the hell he was doing lurking and listening in on her private conversation.

He shrugs says he just happened to walk by and didn't hear anything.

She eyes him and then says, fine, and walks away.

Jeff smirks when he's sure she's gone.

That's the most Britta, Britta's been since she got home.


	6. Chapter 6

OCTOBER:

The entire month passes without too much fan fare, they go to class, they study, and they get into what can only be described as hi jinks.

Only Britta isn't really available to hang out on weekends, and she's a lot busier than Jeff thought she would be.

He doesn't bring it up with the group but he tries to get answers out of Shirley but she doesn't seem to know anything either.

The big surprise comes at the end of the month.

Britta's fiance shows up for the now annual Halloween Dance.

He's tall, at least as tall as Jeff, and a brunette.

He smiles and makes small talk with all of them, like he knows them all.

Britta's tense and makes an escape half an hour after Tanner joins them.

Jeff excuses himself and finds Britta on the front steps, chewing gum like a fiend.

Nicotine gum not helping, he asks with a smirk.

You're not helping she quips immediately.

He smiles and says I think Shirley and Annie are seconds away from running off with Tanner if you don't get back in there soon. That's if Troy doesn't beat them to it. Hell, Pierce seems more in love with him than the last woman he introduced us to.

Britta pops another piece of gum and almost immediately chokes.

Jeff slaps her back a few times and then leaves his hand on her back for a second.

It's the most physical contact they've had in half a year.

He backs off and she clears her throat, says quietly, Tanner does that.

Chokes? Jeff asks, his tone teasing and almost normal.

Makes friends easily, Britta answers.

You don't seem to enjoy his company, which is weird because you're marrying him.

He promised my father he'd take care of me, and I promised my father I'd let him.

That doesn't sound like the Britta I know.

Because the Britta who agreed to marry Tanner isn't the Britta you know. The Britta who agreed to marry Tanner is a good person who comes from an old-ish family, who knows how to arrange flowers and organize events, and doesn't live in a hell hole of an apartment. She's the 1% and I can't hide from that anymore.

So what you're saying is that you can't hide from your past?

What I'm saying is I'm getting married in December and I've applied for a graduate program in New York in the fall. I can't run from my past and I really like Tanner and I don't want to britta things for the rest of my life.

Jeff doesn't have a smart comeback for that.

He's wished for her to be honest with him since she appeared in the study room, and now he kind of wishes she hadn't been quite so honest.

Because he kind of realized that he might love her while she was gone, absence makes the heart grow fonder and all of that sort of stuff.

But she just confessed that she likes Mr. I Reek of Money and Power, and that she's actually got a plan for once.

And it feels like someone has pulled the rug out from under him.

He opens his mouth to say something when Tanner shows up.

He's concerned and Britta runs into his arms and Jeff feels like he can't breathe.

Britta cries and Tanner says soothing things and Jeff walks back inside because it's not something he really wants to see.

He kicks himself because that he should've said something, he should've been quicker.


	7. Chapter 7

NOVEMBER:

Britta invites them all to her family home back East for Thanksgiving, all expenses paid by her trust fund apparently.

Annie, Abed, and Troy accept faster than Jeff can blink.

Shirley declines as her mother is coming to visit.

And Pierce, as usual, has another retreat so he can't come, but he seems genuinely sad to miss an opportunity like this.

All eyes turn to Jeff and he can't very well decline because he's already told everyone that he has no plans to see his mother this year as she's run off with her new lover to an island somewhere in the Pacific. And it would be sad for him to spend it alone in a bar, again.

So he accepts too.

She tells them to be packed and she'll pick them up Friday night, because the Dean has graciously allowed them an entire week off for the holiday. (Them being the Greendale Seven of course)

Jeff spends way too much time trying to decide what to pack and thinking of excuses to not go but there's knock at his door and when he opens it he sees Troy and Annie.

They're excited and bubbling with enthusiasm as they talk about the fact that Britta has a driver and that they're going to fly on a private jet and Jeff doesn't want to be the downer, so he locks up and follows them out to the waiting vehicle.

They're driven to a small airport where they get on the jet.

The plane takes them to a small airport, and from there they're driven to the Perry estate.

Britta's cousin is there to greet them.

She could easily pass for Britta's sister.

Except, she's poised, polished, and perfect.

Not to say that Britta isn't, but instead of hiding it, she flaunts it.

But as soon as Britta sees Olivia (Livvy!), they're almost inseparable.

The week goes by surprisingly quickly, he spends most of his time with Troy, Abed, and Tanner.

He didn't want to like the guy, but Britta was right, Tanner has a talent for making friends, and for making awkward situations nonexistent.

Britta spends most of her time with her mother, cousin, and Annie, as they make wedding decisions.

They go dress shopping, select colors, and other details (which are usually shared with the menfolk during the evening meal under the guise of keeping Tanner up to speed).

Livvy surprises Britta with a trip to the city, for her bachelorette party, and Britta's brothers decide to have Tanner's bachelor party the same night.

Nothing devastating happens and they all make it back by Wednesday evening.

As their week of living it up comes to a close, Tanner offers to fly them all out for the wedding next month, and offers them the use of his brownstone for the week, because apparently they need a week in the city to prepare for the wedding.

The young ones are flattered and Britta assures them that they'd love his house, promises of movies and books, and big screens.

And somehow even Jeff gets wrangled into the acceptance.

When they get back to Greendale, Shirley is full of questions and Abed, Annie, and Troy have answers.

Jeff reminds them that they have finals coming up and also final projects and final essays.

They grumble but get back to work.

When he leaves for class and they start up again as soon as he walks out of the room.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Bonus chapter because of nuncaperseguila's kind words. **

* * *

DECEMBER:

When they're done with their finals, and everyone is talking about Britta's wedding, Britta drops another bomb on them.

She's finished her credits and is graduating on Saturday.

Considering it's Friday and they are leaving Sunday it's a bit shocking.

Everyone is quiet and no one seems to know what to do with that news.

They kind of expected to go through Greendale together and finish together.

Britta apologizes and tells them about the extra classes she took on weekends and the independent study courses.

The others are already getting excited about the idea and congratulate her and promise to be there at the graduation ceremony.

They slowly filter out of the study room and Jeff waits to be alone with Britta.

So all those weekends where you couldn't make it to our hijinks were spent in the classroom?

What did you think I was doing?

Skyping with Tanner or making floral arrangements, I don't know.

I'm finally figuring out my life and you make it seem like that's the last thing you want.

Are you really? Because it seems to me like you're running back to a life you hate because you don't know what you want to do next.

How dare you.

How dare I? How dare you!

Me? What did I do?

You're skipping out on us. You're supposed to be here until the end and we're supposed to finish together, as a family.

Well I'm sorry. I couldn't put my real life on hold any more.

What was this then? An escape for a privileged girl when the pressures of society were too much for her? Did you even follow radiohead or foot model?

Does it matter what I say? Apparently you don't like who I am.

I don't like who you're pretending to be.

A squeak at the door draws both their attention, and they see a wide eyed Annie.

Britta sighs and gives Jeff a death glare before storming out the other direction.

Jeff looks at Annie and says did you need something?

What was that about?

Nothing Jeff says as he storms by Annie.

The graduation ceremony is Dean-tacular, but Britta gets her diploma holder all the same, because the actual diploma will arrive by mail in a few weeks.

Shirley makes them all take pictures with Britta.

Tanner is there of course, beaming with pride, and Jeff kind of hates how happy Tanner and Britta look in every picture.

They head for the study room, which the Dean has allowed them to use for a small reception for Britta.

All of them make speeches and talk about how awesome it is that Britta is headed for graduate school and how they're sure she'll be successful.

When it's Jeff's turn he gives another great speech, but the look Britta gives him lets him know that she's not buying what he's selling, which is a whole lot of bullshit.

Tanner offers to take them out afterwards and everyone agrees, and Jeff finds himself at The Red Door drinking scotch with Tanner.

Tanner talks about how long he's known Britta, and how his grandparents and her grandparents were basically best friends.

Because he was raised by his grandparents after his parents died in an accident.

And he knows Britta's brothers, apparently they play squash together.

And when he gets to the part about how he knew him and Britta would end up together, and Britta looks at him at the right moment, Jeff can't take it.

He lets himself out into the alley and punches the wall.

Which is stupid because now his hand hurts, but at least he doesn't feel like punching Tanner anymore.

This whole thing is stupid.

He doesn't know why he's subjecting himself to it.

He should move on and take some pretty girl home, but he can't help himself.

He's almost 40 and he kind of thought he would be married by now.

And when he saw Britta that first day in Spanish he felt like maybe she was the one he'd been waiting for.

But it's been 3 whole years and a few months since that day and he's fucked everything up so badly that he's punching walls instead of holding her hand.

Pierce finds him and says that he wants to head home but doesn't want to leave alone.

Jeff is thankful for the out, and he can't help but remember how many times Pierce has helped him.


	9. Chapter 9

SUNDAY (5 days until the wedding):

The plane is chartered this time around, because obviously there are too many people for the private jet, with Shirley and her family, and Pierce and his new lady love.

No one asks Jeff about his bruised hand, and Britta definitely doesn't stare at it for ridiculous amounts of time. (She does)

Thanksgiving they spent on Britta's family estate, this time they see the Perry penthouse.

Livvy is there to greet them again.

She's bubbling over with excitement, but she turns down the pep to ask Jeff what happened to his hand.

He stupidly hadn't thought of a convincing cover story yet, so he mumbles something about a stuck door.

Giving him an odd look, she looks to Britta for a hint of whether or not to pursue that line of questioning, it's a definite no.

Livvy gives Jeff a small smile then struts after Britta, and links arms with her and Britta smiles big and bright at whatever Livvy just told her.

Tanner sidles up to Jeff, tells him he knows a great doctor who could take a look at Jeff's hand.

Jeff thanks him and says that he'll be fine.

Look at them, aren't they fantastic Tanner asks as he takes a long glance at Britta and Livvy. They could be sisters. Don't you think?

Jeff agrees and tries to think of something to say.

You have to wonder how they've both stayed single for so long, I mean look at them.

Jeff gets the sense that Tanner is trying to get a sense of Jeff's romantic situation but he doesn't feel like playing. He just says, yeah.

Abed and Troy come over and the conversation shifts to food and places that they have to see before they leave the city.


	10. Chapter 10

MONDAY (4 days until the wedding):

Shirley and Annie try to organize groups to go out and see the sites but it doesn't quite end up how they planned.

Shirley's family does the big things like Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and Empire State Building.

Abed and Troy go around the city looking for places where famous scenes have taken place, and visit places like 30 Rockefeller Plaza, on the lookout for celebrities.

Pierce and his lady mysteriously disappeared, claiming that he needed to pay his respects at the local branch of his religion to earn another badge.

Annie surprisingly decides to stay with Jeff, and Livvy insists that they at least go out for lunch.

Jeff has to wonder who this Britta is.

Because she gets it, all of it.

She gets this sort of society and she blends right in, but she's also the same as she used to be.

If that makes any sense.

Britta makes sure none of them ever feel out of place or unwelcome.

And it's almost like Tanner brings out all the best of her.

The parts of her Jeff only saw by accident.


	11. Chapter 11

TUESDAY (3 days until the wedding):

Troy and Abed leave to go stand in the morning show crowds with Troy and Abed in the morning signs, and Pierce still isn't back yet, but he did text Jeff to say that he's still working on the badge and he'd probably be back by tomorrow.

The rest of them meet for breakfast at the Perry penthouse.

Shirley thanks Britta for the suite for her family and talks about the wonders the bed has done on her back in only one night.

Britta is gracious, but admits that it's Tanner's family's hotel and he was behind it all.

Shirley then thanks Tanner, and he assures her that he wouldn't have it any other way.

Annie talks about wanting to do some shopping, and Livvy jumps on that suggestion.

Britta cuts her breakfast into teeny bits but smiles and agrees.

Andre says he'll take the boys to the science museum, which is an entire day in and of itself, and Jeff's amazed at the guy's willingness to continue to step into the role of Mr. Mom.

So he's left alone, because Tanner has a meeting to go to, Britta's brothers both have jobs to attend to, and Mrs. Perry has what she claims to be a million things to do before Friday.

He wanders around the streets and again wonders how Britta managed to keep this whole life a secret, and why she kept it a secret.

Her brothers love her, her mother is a typical mother but she sort of cares, and it's obvious that Tanner cares a lot more about her than any of the guys she told him about.

He gets a text from Annie around noon inviting him to lunch.

He's kind of cold, his hand is throbbing, and it might be a good time to get out of his head but he gets another text from Troy inviting him to have a lunch at what was Monk's Cafe in Seinfeld.

He decides to spend time with Troy and Abed.


	12. Chapter 12

WEDNESDAY (2 days until the wedding):

Everyone is talking about the wedding.

Britta (and Tanner) chose the solstice for the date of the wedding.

New beginnings and all that shit.

Not that he thinks it's shit, but maybe he's still trying not be completely bitter.

Pierce is back and Jeff agrees to spend the day with him and the lady before he can get roped into any other schemes the others might have.

They don't do anything, really.

Just walk around, visit a few stores, and kind of just hang out.

After an hour or so, Jeff gets the picture that Pierce is humoring him.

And it's so strange how that feels.

For Pierce to be the only one who gets that he's going through something.

But maybe you really don't get married as many times as Pierce did and not learn something about love.

And there it is again, love.

He loves Britta.

And he's never told her, except in ridiculous ways that no one in their right mind would've taken seriously.

As they follow Jane, that's Pierce's lady's name, into a little store that Jeff would've never entered on his own, he sees something that reminds him of Britta.

He buys the stupid little necklace and pockets it before Jane and Pierce get back from the dressing room.

They leave the store and go to several more shops before they stop at a restaurant for lunch.

As they're leaving the restaurant, Jeff gets a picture message from Annie.

It's a picture of Britta all dressed up in her wedding garb, with the simple caption, isn't she beautiful?

He replies.

Yes.


	13. Chapter 13

THURSDAY (1 Day Until the Wedding):

Annie corners him as he's coming out of his room.

She grabs his bruised hand, drags him back into the room, and locks the door behind her.

Her face is set, the way it gets when she's made her mind up about something, and nothing will stand in her way.

As they stand there, he hates that he has to say it, but his pride be damned. Could you let go of my hand? Kind of hurting me here.

Oh, Annie says and drops his hand. Then looks at him with her eyes all piercing and in truth seeking mode, are you in love with Britta?

He blinks, scoffs, and says no.

You're lying, is her quiet response.

I'm not, he insists and tells her that she better scurry along or they'll miss breakfast.

Tanner isn't at breakfast again and Britta is looking like she could really use a cigarette.

Mrs. Perry won't shut up about the stupid flower disaster and after a few more minutes Jeff gets an idea.

He texts Annie then watches her until she reads it because he doesn't think he can pull this off without her help, even if it is a small favor.

She gives him a look but texts back that she'll help.

She lures Britta to the foyer and Jeff pulls her into the elevator.

His not bruised hand is over her mouth and it kind of looks like a kidnapping but once her initial surprise is over he let's her go.

What the hell Jeff she says angrily. You could've just asked me to meet you.

He gives her a look, and tosses her jacket to her.

She kind of huffs, but puts on the jacket.

She finishes buttoning it as the doors open on the ground floor.

Where are we going she asks as she follows him across the lobby.

To get some air he tells her without turning around.

As they walk out onto the street she slips her hand into his and he fights to keep his face from showing how happy it makes him, even though she is holding his injured hand.

He leads her away from the building and all of its stressers.

He is glad she is dressed more like his Britta than Tanner's and that Annie had enough foresight to give him Britta's jacket.

They walk and she doesn't fight him or ask anymore questions.

So Annie got aggressive with me in my bedroom this morning.

Gross Jeff, I really don't want to think of Annie doing things like that with you.

Ha! I think we've just settled who has the dirtiest mind debate.

You just love having that to lord over me, but really Annie is young.

Young, and naive.

Exactly she doesn't get that people can't be changed unless they instigate the change themselves.

Jeff huffs then, well she also thinks that I'm still in love with you.

Britta stops, still?

Yeah whatever.

Are you?

Let's just keep walking.

No you brought it up, we should talk about this.

There's obviously nothing to talk about because you're getting married in less than 24 hours so why bother going there.

He drops her hand and hails a cab.

Where are you going?

This was a stupid idea, I'm going back to my room.

Jeff, stop.

He looks back at her and she's gone all teary eyed and worried.

Am I making a mistake?

He wants to say yes, but that would probably be the worst mistake. He can't really give her anything close to what Tanner is offering. And she would probably end up resenting him for ruining her life... but then... there's the fact that she ran away from all of this before.

A cab pulls over and he says, only you know what's right for you.

* * *

**AN: This story was an experiment in style, and rhythm and flow. I left out a lot of punctuation purposefully. It's weird looking back on it, hopefully you're still managing to follow along.**


	14. Chapter 14

Friday (Wedding Day):

There's nothing particularly spectacular about the day.

There's the promise of snow in the air, and people are still rushing from point a to point b.

Someone once told him The City is most beautiful during the holiday season, but all Jeff thinks about is how much he wishes he was back in Colorado.

In his apartment.

In bed. (nameless woman not included)

He is tired of smiling and answering the endless barrage of questions, most of which start with so you're the one who let her get away.

Somehow all of the people who've shown up for Britta's wedding know who Jeff Winger is, and have the strange idea that he actually had some kind of claim to her heart at some point.

It's all ridiculous, but there's not much he can really say to put them off the topic.

He tried to talk about the dress once, but that ended up backfiring when he was told no one else had seen the dress besides her mother and bridesmaids and he didn't have a way to talk his way out of that.

Annie sees him struggling and heads his way.

She looks beautiful actually, since, you know she's the one who picked the dresses, along with Livvy, who of course also looks quite beautiful.

It's like the Perrys won some sort of genetic jackpot.

Britta's brothers are tall, blond, and well muscled.

Jeff can imagine that Britta and Livvy will look a lot like Britta's mom and aunt when they're older, and that's nothing to sneeze at.

They're both lithe and show very little signs of age, and have a sense of dignity.

He could talk about the rest of the family, but it's mostly just more blond, tall, attractiveness.

He gets cornered by Livvy, who is finally dressed and seems to have been searching him out.

She doesn't even pretend that she had anything else to discuss with him. Just starts talking, I was positive that she was going to call this whole thing off by now.

Jeff looks pointedly away from Livvy, so she doesn't get the picture that her words are having an effect, Oh?

Don't pretend to be naive, Livvy says with almost malice or something like distaste, it's clear that she's disappointed in him.

I don't follow, Jeff states, despite the fact that he has a pretty good picture of what she's implying, or trying to imply.

She glares at him and huffs, which is totally a Britta move, then says, for the past three years all I've heard is Jeff said this, Jeff gave this great speech, Jeff did this. It was so obvious she was in love with you, and that she was happy with the direction her life had taken. Then her dad got sick and everything went to shit.

I don't think she would see things quite that way.

I'm not asking you to analyze anything, I'm just saying that this life is not for Britta. She's never wanted to sit on committees or plan galas. She left once, and found happiness, and I just don't think she's coming back for the right reasons.

You don't think she loves Tanner? Then what's all this for?

I think she's gotten swept away by the idea of granting her father's dying wish.

This was her father's dying wish?

I'm sure you know by now that Tanner's grandparents were close with our grandparents.

We discussed it.

Since Britta was born everyone has planned on them getting married, uniting the families once and for all.

So this is like a business merger, or an marriage between former enemies to make good on their promises of peace sort of thing?

Yeah, basically. There's a long history between our families, and let's just say that this would go a long way to put past wrongs to bed.

And Britta agreed to this?

She didn't want let the family down, to disappoint her father, again. It's sort of her last shot to make him proud.

Are you serious? Her father is dead, and this goes against all things Britta.

Which is why I thought she would've called it off by now, but then again, who knows maybe she's just ready to come home.

And with that Livvy leaves Jeff to stand alone again, presumably to join the bride.

He checks his phone, because, why not?

There's like thirty texts from Annie and about ten missed calls.

He heads for the bridal chambers, or whatever they're called.

Annie drags him into the room as soon as he knocks.

There's no Britta, and no Livvy.

Annie is in all out panic mode, Jeff stands back because she looks like she is going to do more than just question him if he gets within striking range.

Where is Britta? And Livvy? she asks him.

How would I know he asks, confusion overcoming him.

Britta went to find Livvy and she saw you talking to Livvy and just left.

Jeff stops listening right then while Annie rambles on.

He can't make any sense of her words so he turns around and heads out.

He follows his instincts and just walks.

He finds her waiting for a cab, two blocks away.

She looks at him.


	15. Chapter 15

epilogue

Jeff is on his sixth episode of an all day marathon of the most ridiculous reality television show he's ever seen. He got this far because he literally cannot stop watching. He sometimes feels like the world is inching closer to the one portrayed in Idiocracy, which is insane, but whatever, the show is addictive and he got invested about three, five, episodes ago. He's been texting Abed about the show, he had already seen every episode, of course, because it's nice to have someone who knows what's happening and knows not to spoil it.

It's during one of the biggest revelations of the series (so far) that Britta sits down on the couch and cuddles up to Jeff. Instinctively, he puts an arm around her shoulders but doesn't process her presence until the commercial break. He's surprised that she's taking time to just sit with him, moments like this have been rare lately. She's been working hard on her research for her dissertation and he's been travelling for work.

She had excelled in her masters program and moved right into the Ph.D. program. He is sometimes still amazed by how much she connects with her work. Clearly she made the right decision in choosing psychology as her field of expertise, it suits her better than anyone could have imagined. She also does a lot of volunteer work on weekends, on top of seeing her regular patients during the week, and sometimes drags Jeff along if there's something that he can help with.

He is surprised that she has yet to mention anything about the potential psychological problems the main characters could be facing. He looks down at her and sees why she hasn't begun to overanalyze the characters. She's asleep. Which isn't a huge surprise. She's been running on about two hours of sleep a night for the past week trying to meet a deadline.

He reaches for a the remote to lower the volume and she startles.

"Hey," he says. "You fell asleep."

"I kind of figured that much out," Britta says.

"I was going to let you sleep."

"I'm fine, I want to spend time with you before you leave," Britta says as she makes a show of being awake, eyes struggling to stay open as she tries to disguise a yawn.

"It's just an overnight thing, I'll be back Tuesday," Jeff says as he lowers the volume.

"I know, I just miss this," Britta says as she adjusts herself so that her legs are over his lap and they can look at each other while they conversate.

"We do this all the time."

"We used to. Then you got busy and I got busy and now we're lucky to see each other five hours out of the week."

"Hey," Jeff says as he puts his hand on her shin. "We knew it was going to be different and it has been an adjustment, but I think we're doing fine with it."

Britta hmmphs but she quiets down as the show comes back from commercial.

He can feel her eyes when she looks at him enjoying the show. She's probably getting ready to tell him what kind of mental health issues cause the behavior of the people they're watching. But she's considerate enough to wait for commercial.

"You know that Daven probably has a more than mild case of OCD, right?"

Jeff holds back his smirk and says, "Uh, yeah. I'm basically married to the city's best psychologist, I think I've picked up a thing or two helping you study."

Britta smiles at him and Jeff hops up to refill his water. Last night's boys night out really dehydrated him. Not that he's going to admit that to Britta or anyone.

On his way back from the kitchen, Britta says, "Basically married?"

Jeff tries not to let his momentary panic show in any way. Except, she knows all his tells and she probably already noticed him steeling himself.

"I know marriage is something we don't talk about, but I kind of want to talk about it," Britta says as Jeff sits back down.

He takes a sip of water, and says, "Next commercial?"

Britta sighs quietly, and says, "Sure."

Jeff doesn't digest any of the show, he's trying to figure out what to say to Britta. They really haven't talked about marriage, or her leaving Tanner at the altar, or anything. He kind of thinks that she's talked to Tanner, because, he sends them invitations to his parties and galas and fundraisers and when they saw each other on the street last week he was still just as polite and friendly as he was all those years ago.

"Hey," Britta says as she nudges his thigh with her foot. "Earth to Jeffrey."

"Don't call me Jeffrey," Jeff says reflexively.

"You alright? You kind of zoned out there. I thought you were just really into the show but the commercials came on and you were just as catatonic as before."

"Remember that time you almost married Tanner?" Jeff kind of blurts out.

"Yeah, of course," Britta answers.

"What was that all about?"

"I mean I get that you promised your dad, and you liked Tanner, but do you think that you would've been happy? Now?"

"Is this what you've been worried about? All this time? That I would've been happier with Tanner?"

"Maybe. I don't know. I guess I just thought if we talked about Tanner, you might realize that you should've picked him."

"Jeff," Britta says as she moves towards him, and takes his hand. "No one makes me happier than you do. You know all sides of me, and you don't care that sometimes I'm a crazy person who has to protest corporations. And you really don't care that I have an old blue blooded family and a trust fund. I don't have to fit in any predetermined boxes with you, I can be me. And you can be you. And that is why I love you."

Jeff's a little floored by all of this. She's right. He really has seen all sides of her. Their family of cats who all have ridiculous medical problems but still keep his feet warm at night are proof of just how much of her crazy he handles. And also their ridiculous home in the middle of New York City that her trust fund paid for. And she doesn't care that he works for a law firm that does business with corporations who do some questionable things, because she loves him, all sides of him.

They're crazy and sometimes ridiculous, but they've loved each other through it all.

Britta has somehow managed to straddle Jeff's lap and is look at him with such concern that he's more than a little thrown off. But he finally knows what he wants to say.

He puts his hands on her hips and stares straight back into her eyes as he asks, "Britta, love of my life, mother to our herd of cats, best friend I could have ever asked for, will you marry me?"

She doesn't even blink before she says, "Yes, of course. Yes."

**end**

* * *

**AN: I became impatient and thought I'd just post it all together. It's been a long wait for those of you who were interested, so I thought I'd just finish it up.**


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